1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an arrangement for operating, particularly for starting up, a continuous casting plant for the manufacture of thin slabs for hot strip rolling. The arrangement includes at least one pair of reducing rolls which follow the continuous casting mold. Adjustable strand guide elements are arranged following the pair of reducing rolls.
2. Description of the Related Art
For the manufacture of a steel strip by deforming a cast strand or a thin slab, EP-B1 0 326 190 discloses a plant which includes a continuous casting machine with an oscillating open-ended mold and cooled walls and a deforming unit for the strand which includes a pair of reducing rolls and is arranged at the outlet of the mold. Accordingly, the continuously cast strand, which is composed of a solidified strand shell and a liquid core, is reduced in its thickness in a rolling deformation and is subsequently rolled. The funnel-shaped, oscillating open-ended mold has an outlet cross-section with a thickness of 40 to 50 mm; after leaving the mold, the cast steel strip of appropriate thickness is pressed together by the pair of reducing rolls to such an extent that the inner walls of the strand shells which have already solidified in the mold are welded together. The thickness reduction of the steel strand which has not yet fully solidified by means of the pair of reducing rolls of the deforming unit, and at least one roll stand following the deforming unit, make it possible to achieve steel strip which have a thickness which is substantially below 25 mm, depending on the casting speed and the pressing force of the pair of reducing rolls. Any differences in strip thickness which may occur behind the pair of reducing rolls due to changed casting speeds can be compensated by adjusting the pressing forces of the reducing rolls.